As the group slows to a consensual stop, you rest your forehead against the rough bark of the nearest tree. Your breath uneven and shallow.
"I figure it's gonna get cooler and darker, sooner rather than later. I say we start preparing to stay the night right here."Daryl says, raising his brows at Rick for permission.
"Good idea." Tyreese nods, getting ready to unhook Judith from his back.
Sasha stops him with her hand quickly. "No, we need to keep moving, find something more sheltering."
"I'm tired!" Ty argues.
She send him an incredulous look. "We're all tired, Tyreese."
He looks around, mouth gaping. "You're not the one carrying the baby!"
"Fine, let me-"
Rick stops them with a humorous chuckle. "Daryl's right. Let's stay here." His face goes serious as he makes a plan in his head. "Glenn, Maggie and Tara, clear out an area for us to stay in and tie rope around it. Daryl, Carol and Sasha, set us up with a fire, maybe some blankets. Michonne, you and I will scout the area, look for any Walkers that are too close for comfort. Tyreese, Carl, Y/N and Judith, empty out cans of food and give them to Glenn to attach to the rope, let's use them for alarms, give the food to Daryl in a pot so he can warm it up. Let's go!"
You don't move though, standing still as a statue against the trunk. Carl, at some point, had dragged himself over to the tree too. He is also still leaning there, his shoulders pressed harshly against the unforgiving wood to your immediate right.
You muster up all the energy you can and let your bag slide off your back. You exhale in relief, moving your stiff shoulders around in their freedom.
"Okay, Carl, go gather up all of the food. Y/N, you can entertain Judith while I make her food. Please?" Tyreese stands beside you, most certainly holding the squirming baby towards you.
You groan and raise your head up, gripping her under the arms. After Tyreese walks away, your eyes immediately find her brother, without even trying.
It's like a thin cord connecting you two, you can always find him in your crowd of a group, you always know how he's feeling and what he needs at that particular moment. You're too emotionally hurt to admit that it's love, right now you have yourself convinced that it's a best-friend-brother thing.
Your eyes dance over him as he makes his rounds, as he was told, gathering the group's rations. Your excuse for your ever present watching eye is; you just don't want anyone else to die. In reality, that's only half true, you're extremely protective over him and it makes you anxious when you don't know where he is, blame the way this world turned out for that though.
Judith coos suddenly, catching Carl's attention. His head snaps up, face breaking into a perfect smile at the sight of his sister.
You fight back your own smile and coo back to her, pretending to not notice Carl walking over.
To your displeasure and relief, he walks past you and over to Tyreese. They trade and Carl backtracks over to you again, holding a bottle and what looks like the liquid form of-
"Hey, Baby." Carl says happily.
You giggle and lock eyes with Judith. "Who's that, Sweetie?"
You look back to Carl. "I wasn't talking to her." He winks, sliding his free arm around the back of your waist and hooking his fingers there.
To be honest, you and Carl are close. Physically just as much as you are emotionally. Not like kissing and sexual stuff, but hugging without question, cuddles without awkwardness and innuendos without filtering.
